caught on fire
by Waffles Of Doom
Summary: "at the end of the day it's about how much you can bear, how much you can endure. being together, we harm nobody; being apart, we extinguish ourselves." a series of drabbles following brandon and callie through, well, everything
1. one

_in which callie finally gets to introduce brandon to biscuits and gravy _

_**NOTE: **__I am not American, nor have I ever had biscuits and gravy, so all knowledge of the dish does, unfortunately come from the internet. These oneshots were all originally posted on tumblr (on bralliecallie, if you're curious) and I've decided to post them on fanfiction as well - because, well, I like fanfiction. Feedback is much appreciated!_

* * *

"So, how is this comfort food again?" Brandon asked, wrinkling his nose as he watched Callie make the rather unappealing gravy, the biscuits already in the oven.

"Because, it's nice!" Callie laughed at his expression. "I'm not trying to kill you, I swear."

"I'm not too sure.." Brandon mumbled.

"Its Jude's favourite food." Callie said after a moment's silence. "I remember, every year on his birthday, mom would ask him what he wanted for dinner, and every year he said biscuits and gravy. Mom used to say no every time, because it was a breakfast food, more than anything, but we'd come in from school on his birthday, and you could smell the biscuits cooking."

"Your mom sounds great Callie."

"She was." Callie nodded. "She always knew exactly what to say, you know? Whether it was a scraped knee, or someone in my grade being mean to me, mom always knew how to fix it."

"You must miss her." Brandon found himself saying.

"I do." Callie confirmed. "Sometimes I wonder what the past few years would have been like if she had been around, but.."

"But?" Brandon prodded.

"I like it here." Callie admitted. "Stef and Lena are amazing, and.. I like it here." She smiled at Brandon, conveying everything she couldn't in words.

"I like having you here." Brandon said. "And Jude, obviously." He added quickly.

"He likes it here too." Callie said. "He finally has people in his life worth looking up to, you know? Stef, Lena, you.. Jesus and Marianna.."

"You're worth looking up to." Brandon said. "I think you're probably the strongest person I've ever met."

"If you say so." Callie said, shrugging off the compliment. "Can you take the biscuits out of the oven? They should be done by now."

Brandon nodded, and grabbed the oven glove, pulling the hot tray out of the oven, setting them on the counter. "Do you need to let them cool down or something?"

Callie shook her head. "My mom never did."

"That sounds dangerous."

"Just get a glass of juice or something." Callie laughed.

"Want one?"

"Mm, yeah." Callie said as she dished the biscuits and gravy out onto two plates, keeping some aside for Jude. If he found out she made biscuits and gravy and didn't save some for him, he'd probably never talk to her again.

"And this is actually nice?" Brandon said skeptically, setting two glasses of orange juice on the table.

"Yeah." Callie laughed.

"Okay.."

"You have to try it Brandon, I went to the trouble of making it." Callie teased. "I've been slaving away at that oven all morning."

Brandon scrunched up his nose, but picked up the fork anyway, looking at Callie who gave him an encouraging grin before he put a forkful in his mouth.

"So?"

Brandon chewed slowly, swallowing before he replied. "Not bad."

"Not bad?"

"Not bad." Brandon confirmed. "Not bad at all, actually."

"See? I told you it was good comfort food."

"Its pretty good." Brandon laughed. "I admit defeat. I didn't know you could cook?"

"I can't." Callie grinned. "Unless you're willing to live off biscuits and gravy."

"I don't think I like it that much." Brandon said, taking another mouthful. "So, whats your favourite comfort food? You said this was Jude's, so.. Whats yours?"

Callie paused with a forkful of food halfway to her mouth. "Blueberry pancakes."

"Blueberry pancakes?"

"Mhm. But, with chocolate sauce."

"Cool." Brandon nodded, turning his attention back to his breakfast.

_Blueberry pancakes? He could do that._


	2. two

_close encounters of the mom kind (or, in which brandon and callie almost get caught)_

Brandon woke with a groan, a cramp in his right arm causing pain to shoot down the entire right side of his body - but, when he tried to move, he found that his arm was trapped.

By a person.

By _Callie._

Brandon couldn't help but smile as he took in her sleeping form, her face more relaxed then he'd ever seen it, one of her arms holding onto his in a vice like grip.

Not that he really minded. Extreme handholding was a small price to pay for waking up next to the most beautiful girl in the world. He'd never woken up next to Callie before. She'd always snuck back into her and Marianna's room late at night, leaving him, well, quite frankly, cold and alone.

It was a nice change to have her curled up in a ball next to him.

"Brandon?"

A knock at his door snapped him out of his quiet reverie.

'Callie." He hissed, poking her in an attempt to get her to wake up. "Callie! My mom is outside the door."

That jolted her away, Callie sitting bolt upright in fear. "What?"

"My mom's outside." Brandon repeated.

"B? B honey, are you awake?"

Brandon cleared his throat. "Yeah mom, just a second!"

Callie gave his shoulder a light punch. "What did you do that for?" She hissed.

"If I didn't answer, she'd just barge in, and we'd be in a worse situation!"

Callie knew he was right. "Where am I going to go?"

Brandon looked around his room desperately. "The closet?"

"Wow, that's a cliche."

"You have time to argue with me right now, really?"

"Brandon, are you alright?" Stef called through the door.

"Y-yeah mom, just looking for some pants." Brandon said, grabbing his boxer shorts and pulling them on hastily, Callie rolling her eyes, but heading for his closet anyway.

"Since when do you sleep naked?" Stef said, sounding almost confused.

"Brandon!" Callie hissed.

"What?"

"Your neck." Callie winced. "You might want to cover it."

Brandon looked in the mirror, and internally groaned. A hickey._Thanks Callie._

He held his hand to his neck in what he hoped looked like some sort of awkward stretch, and opened the door. "Since it was really hot last night."

"It was like fifty degrees last night Brandon." Stef raised an eyebrow.

"I was just really warm." Brandon said.

"Do you think you're coming down with something hon?" Stef said, resting a hand against his forehead. "You do feel warm."

"I'm sure I'm fine mom." Brandon gave her a smile. "Whats up?"

"Lena and I were going to go to the grocery store with Jude, and Mariana and Jesus are already gone out. Are you going to be okay on your own?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Whats wrong with your neck?" Stef asked.

"Nothing, I think I just slept funny." Brandon said. "Its just a crick."

"Well, there's ice packs in the freezer.." Stef said. "Have you seen Callie?"

"No, why?" Brandon tried to sound as nonchalant as possible.

"Its just she wasn't in her room when I went to check on her." Stef said. "And her phone's still in the house."

"She probably just went for a run, you know what she's like." Brandon said. "I'll get her to call you as soon as she comes back."

"Thanks B.." Stef said, giving her son a kiss on the cheek. "Take care of that neck."

"Will do mom." Brandon said, and ducked back inside his room, breathing a sigh of relief. "That was close."

"Yeah, we need to be more careful." Callie said, biting her lip nervously as she pulled her messy hair into an even messier ponytail.

"Yeah." Brandon pointed to his neck. "We do. Way to be obvious Cal."

Callie couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry, just, got caught up in the moment."

"Speaking of moments, Mom and Lena are going out, and there's no one else in the house." Brandon said. "What better moment are we going to get?"

"You're insatiable, Brandon Foster."

"And you've clearly been studying for English."

Callie rolled her eyes. "Just shut up and kiss me Foster."


	3. three

_in which callies knows that she and brandon can't do it anymore_

Callie let out a shaky breath as she approached Brandon's bedroom door, trying to calm herself down.

_It was just Brandon._

Of course, telling herself that had become completely useless weeks ago when she kissed Brandon at the wedding, throwing caution to the wind and acknowledging her feelings for him. He wasn't _just _Brandon, he was **BRANDON**, the boy that caused a ridiculous army of butterflies to take up residence in her stomach when he was around her, the boy who could make her completely weak at the knees with just a smile, let alone a _kiss _(and boy, did Brandon know how to kiss..)

Callie shook her head. Thinking about it was only going to make this all worse.

She pushed his bedroom door open, stepping into his room and giving him a soft smile. "Hey B."

Brandon's face lit up as he noticed her, closing his algebra book in record fast time. "Hey Callie." He leaned in to kiss her, looking confused as Callie pulled away before he could close the space between them.

"We need to talk." Callie said, gingerly sitting down on the edge of his bed.

"What's wrong?"

"Brandon, we can't do this anymore." Callie said, her voice cracking slightly as she choked the words out. "We need to stop doing this. I can't do it to Jude, I can't get him kicked out of the first real home he's had since our mom died because of a stupid mistake I made."

"This isn't a stupid mistake Callie, you know it isn't. How you feel, it isn't a mistake-"

"How I feel has nothing to do with this Brandon!" Callie interrupted, trying to sound as forceful as she possibly could.

"It has _everything _to do with this Callie." Brandon said. "How we feel about each other is why we're in this situation in the first place."

"Then maybe we shouldn't feel how we do about each other."

"Callie, you can't stand there and tell me you hate how you feel about me."

"Thats not the point Brandon! OK? That's not the point. The point is I hate lying to Stef and Lena, I hate having to sneak around, I hate always worrying that we're going to slip up and get found out, and then Jude and I will be kicked out, and this will all go on my record.." Callie said. "I can't do this anymore B."

"Callie, I _love _you." Brandon said desperately. "You love me too."

"I know B. But, we can't do this anymore, alright? We can't."

Brandon looked down at his hands, his forehead creased with - was it _annoyance? "_Nothing I say is going to change your mind, is it?"

"No." Callie said. "We're just not meant to be Brandon. The circumstances, they'll never be right."

"Never is a strong word Cal."

"Brandon, you aren't making this any easier." Callie choked out.

"I'm sorry." Brandon said. "I'm sorry things aren't different."

"Me too B." Callie sighed. "Me too."

"That doesn't mean I'm going to give up on us Callie."

"You should." Callie said. "You should give up on us. Go back to Talya, or something."

Brandon snorted. "Like I could ever go back to Talya after the past few weeks. Like i could ever go out with anyone else."

"There's a lot of other girls in the world."

"None of them are you." Brandon said. "Callie, in a few years you'll be eighteen, and you wont technically be in the foster system anymore, I'll wait-"

"No." Callie said sharply. "No Brandon. You need to give up on us right now, and forget about me. OK? Because we are never going to work. Our relationship was doomed from the start - it, it's wrong, okay. Our relationship is wrong. You're my foster brother, and we shouldn't have started this in the first place. So just give up on it, okay?"

"You really think how we feel is wrong?" Brandon said quietly.

Callie looked at him. "Yes." She lied.

"Fine. I'll give up then."

"B, its.. Its for the best, you know that."

"Seeing as you obviously think our relationship is so wrong, yeah, maybe it is." Brandon said, not quite looking at her. "Can you get out please? I need to practice."

Callie nodded, standing up and moving toward the door. She looked back at Brandon before she ducked back out into the hallway, the other teenager sitting completely silently, his gaze fixed on the wall.

There and then, Callie knew she had just driven a wedge between her and Brandon she would never be able to remove, or fix.

It was for the best though. It was for the best.

_At least, that's what she told herself when she ran back to her and Marianna's room, and cried herself to sleep, the angry banging of Brandon's keyboard the only sound in the whole house._

_It was for the best, it was._


	4. four

_in which callie finally breaks (based off the 1x10 kiss, prompted by anon)_

* * *

"Can I talk to you a second?" Callie asked Brandon quietly. He was wandering the garden aimlessly, trying to find something he needed to do. Stef and Lena had everything pretty much sorted - all they needed to do now was get married, really.

They wouldn't miss Brandon for a few minutes.

Brandon nodded, and followed Callie as she led him into the most secluded part of the garden. "You look nice." He said as they came to a standstill, facing each other.

Callie smiled, a slight tinge of pink to her cheeks. "You look good too." And he did. He looked handsome in the crisp white suit, his shirt and tie making him look impossibly dapper.

Brandon returned the smile. "Is everything okay?"

"I've been thinking."

"Sounds serious." Brandon teased.

"Maybe.." Callie said. "Its just, since the court case.."

"You're okay Callie, right?" Brandon said, concerned straight away.

Callie nodded. "The court case, it made me realise that.. it wasn't all my fault, you know? It made me realise a lot of things, and I.. I know what I deserve now." She stepped closer to him, close enough for Brandon to hear her quiet, unsteady breathing, take in every inch of her face.

"You deserve to be happy." He said quietly, studying her face.

There was a moment's pause before Callie leaned in, her hands going to his shoulders, fingers brushing against his cheeks softly, her lips pressing roughly against his. It was overly quick, and clumsy, but Brandon eagerly responded, moving his lips against hers, his hands travelling to her waist as though they had done this a million times before.

Callie had never been one for cliches, but as she kissed Brandon, she felt them all - the fireworks, the butterflies, the ridiculous need to kick one foot in the air a la the Princess Diaries.. She had never been that girl, that girl that gets reduced to a mess because of a _boy_, but here she was, clinging to Brandon as though he was a lifeline.

One of her hands found its way to her hair, knotting in the soft dark strands tightly. Brandon's grip on her hips tightened, pulling her closer to him, his tongue brushing against her lips hesitantly.

`She _shouldn't _be doing this, but in that moment Callie didn't really care all that much, her mind clouded by Brandon, and Brandon's lips, and _Brandon's hands _and _oh dear God, whatever he was doing with his tongue was making her weak at the knees._

Weak enough to clung to Brandon's shoulder's because she was about ninety nine percent certain she would collapse in a heap on the ground his Brandon so much as let go of her.

A noise from behind them caused Callie and Brandon to break apart, Brandon whipping his head around to look at the intruder, his hair standing at odd angles because of Callie's eager fingers. Callie's heart was in her mouth as she looked at who was standing, watching them.

"Tayla." Brandon said, looking at his red haired ex-girlfriend.

"Your mom is looking for you." Talya said, looking between them, a glint of _something _in her eyes.

"I'll be there in a second." Brandon said.

Talya nodded, and turned on her heel - not before Callie caught her smirk.

"I'm so screwed." Callie said, her face creased with worry. "She's going to tell everyone."

"Callie, she wont, she's-"

"The new foster kid is making out with her ex boyfriend." Callie said. "Of course she's going to tell everyone Brandon! How can you be so naive? I've ruined everything, I've ruined everything for Jude, he's going to be so upset when we get kicked out, and-"

"Callie, I'm not going to let them kick you out." Brandon said, reaching out to take her hand, trying to offer her some reassurance.

Callie shook her head, running a hand through her hair in a worried, desperate movement. "You're a sixteen year old kid Brandon, you can't do anything."

"Callie, look, I'll talk to Talya-"

"You should go and find your mom." Callie said. "She'll be looking for you."

"I'm going to fix this Callie, okay? I'll make sure Talya doesn't say anything, I promise you." Brandon said. "I'll fix this Callie, okay?"

With that, he turned to walk away, leaving a worried Callie alone.

She replied just before he was out of earshot. "You can't fix it."


	5. five

_in which brandon deals with the fact she's gone (or, at least tries to)_

_(post finale drabble)_

* * *

Brandon woke up with an almost easy smile plastered to his face, stretching languidly as he kicked back his covers, planting his feet on the cool wood of his bedroom floor.

He squinted at the clock, noticing it was already gone ten am. To be fair, he hadn't actually gotten to bed until three am (or, was it four?)

Either way, it was hard to care too much about the fact his eye felt like they had been rolled around in sandpaper and he was absolutely _wrecked_. Mom, and Lena were married - his moms were married, and they were deliriously happy. Nothing much else really mattered.

Running a hand through his already messy hair, Brandon padded out into the hallway to find Marianna standing there, looking distressed.

"Whats wrong?" Brandon snapped into concerned big brother mode.

"I can't find Callie." Marianna said. "I woke up this morning and she was gone, she's not in the house - and I just checked the wardrobe, and all her stuff is gone. She's gone Brandon."

Brandon felt like his entire world had come to a standstill.

_She was gone?_

And it was because of him, too. Callie loved Jude so much she was willing to do anything to make sure he was happy, and safe. They hadn't exactly been subtle when they had ended up making out before the wedding, and Jude had seen, and he had been so upset..

He was scared Brandon's moms wouldn't keep him now.

And Callie, Callie must have thought that leaving would ensure Jude would be able to stay with the Fosters.

That she wouldn't mess it up for him again.

"Brandon? Brandon, please say something?"

Brandon looked at his sister, trying to blink away the tears he hadn't realised had started to fall. "I, uh - did you ring her cellphone?"

"She left it here." Marianna held it up. "What are we going to do?"

Brandon wasn't sure, really. Where could she have gone? What the hell were the going to do?

"We, uh - we need to wake up Moms." Brandon said, instantly regretting the fact they had to ruin the weekend of their wedding. But, Callie, she was important to him - to them all.

They needed to find her.

Marianna nodded, and she headed for her moms room, her entire demeanor nervous, and worried. Brandon couldn't move. He couldn't do anything except stand in the same spot in the upstairs landing, his heart racing, his mind going over every bad thing that could have happening to Callie already.

Even when his moms came rushing out, Jude waking up because of all the commotion, and bursting into hysterical sobs as soon as he heard his sister was gone, Brandon couldn't move.

Because it was in those terrifying few seconds after Marianna told him she was gone that he realised something.

He _loved her._

Brandon loved her, and he had to get her back.

They had to bring her **HOME**


	6. six

_in which brandon and callie finally catch a break_

* * *

He'd had feelings for Callie from the moment she'd stepped into the Foster's home, if he was being honest. He'd loved the girl since he was sixteen, but all the dreams he had come up with during the times they were together, the hours they had spent sneaking around - well, they hadn't happened. Sixteen year old Brandon figured that by twenty four, he would have managed to convinced Callie to marry him, but life doesn't quite turn out the way your teenage self envisioned.

In reality, he and Callie had faced one too many obstacles for their newly blossoming relationship to survive. The ban put on their relationship by Stef and Lena until Callie was 18, and out of the system (unsurprisingly, neither of them were too happy when Brandon and Callie had confessed all) stopped everything before it could really even begin - and, drove a wedge between Brandon and Stef that took the rest of high school to fix.

Despite the occasional make out session in secluded corners of the Foster home that happened when the tension got too much for them, by the time Callie had turned eighteen and was officially no longer part of the foster system, making a go of their relationship wasn't really an option for them. Brandon had just been accepted to Julliard, and Callie was staying in San Diego and starting community college in the fall.

By time Brandon returned to San Diego in May after his freshman year in New York to celebrate the finalisation of Jude's adoption papers, Callie had left San Diego for the rest of the world, travelling Europe and Asia, sending back a flurry of bright, and exciting looking postcards to Jude and the rest of the Foster household. She settled in Australia after a few months, and started a degree in popular music which by all accounts she loved (_judging from what she said in her postcards, anyway.)_

The circumstances were never right for them, the stars never seemed to aline for them, and Brandon had eventually resigned himself to the fact he and Callie weren't meant to happen. That didn't stop him thinking about her, however, and how he was back home in San Diego, it was even harder to get Callie out of his mind. It was like she was everywhere - sitting on the porch playing guitar, standing at the sink washing dishes with Marianna, the two girls laughing and talking, Callie pushing Jude way too high on the swing..

He couldn't help but smile, lost in memories.

"Twenty four and living at home with your moms? I'd say that was sad B, but I'm moving back in too."

Brandon looked up to see Callie standing on the Foster's front porch, bags in hand. She was more tanned, her hair a lighter shade of brown then he remembered, and there was definitely an Australian twang creeping into her accent, but she was still Callie.

"You're a sight for sore eyes Cal - whats it been, four years?"

"Something like that." Callie said. "So, what brings you home?"

"Its a stopover - I'm starting a new job in LA next week." Brandon said. "What brings you home?"

"I figured four years was long enough." Callie shrugged. "I was really starting to miss it here."

"Theres no place like home." Brandon quipped.

Callie smiled. "We had a lot of good times here, didn't we?"

Brandon nodded in agreement. "Its good to see you again Cal." He said quietly, standing up to hug her tightly. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." Callie replied, her voice muffled by Brandon's chest. _Had he gotten taller? _"So much."

"Why didn't we stay in contact again?" Brandon joked.

"I think it probably hurt too much." Callie admitted.

Brandon nodded. "Us and our bad timing, right?"

"We've always had really bad timing.. in the worst circumstances.."

"You think it'll ever work out for us?" Brandon found himself asking. "I mean, we're older now, we know better.. We're both actually in the same country.."

Callie couldn't help but laugh. "That's a good point."

"You think we'll ever have another chance then?" Brandon asked.

"I…" Callie said. "I think so."

"You do?"

Callie nodded. "I do."

"The timing almost feels right this time, doesn't it?" Brandon said. "LA and San Diego is closer than we have been the past five years."

"Who says I'm staying in San Diego?" Callie grinned. "Like any struggling musician, I'm going to head for LA and see what happens."

"Wow. I guess the circumstances are pretty perfect this time, right?"

"Pretty perfect? I don't think two musicians living in LA is perfect, we mightn't be able to eat most of the time."

"I'll deal." Brandon grinned.

"Well then B, I guess the circumstances are perfect." Callie smiled at him.

Brandon couldn't help but return the smile, feeling for the first time since he left for college that maybe his sixteen year old self hadn't been such a naive dreamer after all.

Maybe, he and Callie had finally caught a break.


	7. seven

_in which brandon and callie go on their first (very secret) date (prompted by anon!)_

* * *

"You know, I kind of feel like we're spies."

Callie looked up from the menu, raising an eyebrow at Brandon. "Spies?"

"Yeah! You know, we're sneaking around, trying not to get caught.." Brandon said. "Its exciting, I feel like we're in a spy movie."

"You're such an idiot."

"You like it though." Brandon grinned.

"Apparently." Callie said, closing her menu.

"Decided?"

"Mhm." Callie confirmed, looking around the little cafe they were sitting it. It was Friday evening, and Brandon had dragged her to some French cafe on the other side of town he couldn't stop raving about.

If it had been up to her, Callie would have bought them a take out pizza and hit the beach, but Brandon had given her puppy eyes at lunch time in the music room, and she couldn't say no.

They'd been trying to go on a first date for almost three weeks now, and for one reason or another they'd always had to cancel. Tonight however, Stef and Lena were on their own date night, Marianna was over at Lexi's, Jude was at Connor's house, and Jesus was over at another friend's house. They had until at least eleven thirty to have the best first date ever (_Brandon's words, not hers.)_

"I'm starving." She commented as Brandon closed his menu.

"Me too." Brandon said. "You want some water?"

Callie nodded. "Thanks."

"You look kind of uncomfortable Cal." Brandon commented.

"I kind of am." Callie wrinkled her nose. "This place is kind of fancy.. Its not me, is it?"

"Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"I don't, no you picked.." Callie trailed off. "Actually, I have an idea."

"Should I be worried?"

"You don't mind not eating here, do you?"

Brandon shook his head. "I just want to spend time with you Cal."

Callie grinned, grabbing her bag. "Lets go then."

Her smile was infectious, and Brandon couldn't help but laugh as she grabbed his hand, and pulled him out of the cafe, into the cool evening air.

"Do I get to know this plan?"

"Nope." Callie grinned. "You'll just have to wait and see."

"I'm not going to lie, I'm a little worried."

"Don't you trust me?"

"Yeah.."

"Then shut up, and enjoy this." Callie said, coming to a stop outside a pizza parlour.

"This is your great idea?"

"Part of it, Mr Skeptical. Any toppings you don't like?"

Brandon shook his head. "I don't care."

"Good." Callie said brightly, letting go of his hand, leaving Brandon feeling almost lonely as he stood outside the pizza parlour. He liked being with Callie. Now they were actually together, they had fallen into an easy relationship.

OK, they had to hide their relationship about ninety nine percent of the time, but the moments when they could be _Brandon and Callie_, and they didn't have to lie or sneak around. He could hold her hand or pull her in a kiss and not worry about being caught.

There was always an element of worry, but they figured they were far enough away from everyone they knew to be a little more lax when they were a half an hour bus ride away from where the Foster family lived.

"I come bearing pizza, coke and sweets." Callie said, holding up the box.

"The meal of Kings." Brandon grinned.

"I can eat this all by myself if you don't be quiet."

Brandon held up his hands in defeat. "I'm shutting up."

"Good." Callie grinned. "Come on, we're almost there."

"Almost where?"

"You know the day I went off for the whole day, and completely freaked Stef and Lena out?"

Brandon nodded. "They weren't very happy."

"Well, I was over this side of town, and I found this amazing spot.." Callie said, leading him down a set of steps onto the beach. "Its over here."

Brandon followed her along the shifting sand, slipping slightly in his converse.

"It'll be worth it, I promise." Callie reassured, climbing over a rock.

Brandon clambered over behind her, looking around the small enclosed space she had brought him too. It almost looked like a cave, a small part of the cliff worn away to create a private space, almost a private beach.

"Its amazing `Callie." Brandon said, looking around.

"Its kind of us, isn't it?" Callie grinned. "A secret beach for our secret relationship."

Brandon laughed. "Yeah, it's kind of perfect, isn't it?"

Callie simply smiled, flopping down on the sand, pulling two cans of coke out of her bag, setting them down on the sand.

"I can't believe I've lived in San Diego my whole life, and I've never found anywhere like this." Brandon said, taking a slice of the steaming hot pizza.

"You obviously weren't looking hard enough." Callie grinned.

"Obviously not." Brandon said, looking around. "There's something so relaxing about the beach, isn't there?"

Callie nodded. "It kind of puts everything into perspective, doesn't it?"

Brandon looked at her, slightly confused.

"I mean.. The ocean, and the beach.. They work, right? They just work together, no matter how many people are on the beach, or how many interruptions that might happen." Callie said. "It makes me think that maybe we can work."

"You didn't think that before?"

"No, I mean.." Callie said. "The circumstances don't allow this to be easy. I can't.. We can't be a normal couple. We have to sneak around, and keep it all a secret, or else we could get into a hell of a lot of trouble. But we'll figure it out. We'll make it work."

"Like how the beach and the ocean work." Brandon said.

"However cheesy, yes." Callie said.

"Well, I'm in this for the long run Cal."

"Brandon, don't-"

"No, I'm serious." Brandon said. "I'm in this for the long run, and however long its going to take for us to not be an issue anymore, that's okay. Because I don't mind having to keep us a secret for now. It'll be worth it in the end."

Callie leaned over and kissed him softly, not knowing how else to respond.

"Anyway," Brandon continued as they broke apart. "All this sneaking around is kind of exciting."

"Like we're spies?" Callie repeated his earlier statement.

"Like we're spies." Brandon laughed. "I think its making us more creative, too."

"What?"

"We have to think of creative new ways to sneak around behind everyone's back." Brandon grinned.

"Like hanging out in a cave?"

Brandon nodded.

"You don't.. I mean, do you feel bad about lying to your mom and `Lena?" Callie said. "They've been so good to Jude and I, I feel bad for doing this behind their backs."

Brandon looked thoughtful. "Mom would want me to be happy. Mom and Lena would want us both to be happy. They're not going to be happy we lied to them, but I think they'll be able to understand why. They know whats it like to be told who you can, and can't date."

"I think being gay is a lot different to our situation."

"Same idea though." Brandon said.

"I guess.."

"Don't worry about it. Not now, at least." Brandon said. "This is way too heavy for a first date."

Callie laughed. "It kind of is, isn't it?"

"Definitely." Brandon said. "You talk about your interests, and your favourite movies on a first date - not how you feel about lying to your entire family."

"Well, I know your interests." Callie said. "Piano, piano ,oh, and piano."

"Hey, I'm not that one sided!" Brandon protested.

"Yeah, you are." Callie laughed.

"I like guitar too!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Your interests are music, music and music."

"You like music too."

"Your piano skills are actually the only reason I like you."

"I'll deal with that." Brandon shrugged, pulling her into a hug, the two of them leaning against the rock, talking happily.

Hours passed as they sat on the beach, talking, (kissing), ignoring their cellphones until they figured four missed calls from Lena and eight angry texts from Stef were reason enough to go home.

"Best first date ever." Callie said quietly as they stood on the front porch of the Foster's home, the two of them revelling in the quiet before they went inside to face Lena and Stef's wrath.

Brandon leaned down, and kissed her softly, his lips barely brushing against hers. "Best first date ever." He echoed.

Callie gave him one more soft, bright smile before Brandon pushed the front door open, he and Callie greeted by Stef's annoyed shouts of 'where were you guys? we've been ringing you for the past half hour!" and Lena's signature "I'm disappointed in you face", but neither Callie or Brandon cared all that much.

One Saturday night being grounded wasn't such a big price to pay for the best first (secret) date.


	8. eight

in which brandon and callie take advantage of their very empty house (_prompted by shesthequeenofnewyork)_

* * *

"What movie do you want to watch?" Brandon asked, his gaze flickering over the Foster's DVD collection.

"I don't mind." Callie said from where she was already digging into the popcorn she had made.

"That's really helpful, thanks Cal." Brandon rolled his eyes. "Comedy, horror, adventure..?"

"I don't care." Callie repeated with a grin.

"I'm just going to make you watch High School Musical if you don't pick something soon." Brandon said, waving the DVD case at her.

"You wouldn't put yourself though that."

Brandon sighed. "Yeah, I wouldn't. How about the Avengers?" He asked, grabbing another DVD off the shelf.

Callie nodded. "Sounds good. I haven't actually seen it yet."

"You haven't seen the Avengers?" Brandon looked at her in shock. "Callie Jacob, you can't be serious!"

"I'm serious." Callie said. "I've seen the Ironman films, but I haven't seen any of the other ones."

"That is it, we are giving you a Marvel education today." Brandon said, putting the DVD in the player and grabbing the control. "I can't believe you haven't seen the Avengers."

"Is it that good?"

"That good?!" Brandon spluttered. "Its one of the best films **EVER.**" He said, flopping down on the couch next to her, kicking his shoes off.

"That's high praise." Callie said, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"That's because its an awesome movie." Brandon said, hitting play.

"So superheroes are really that great?"

"Don't tell me you don't like superheroes either."

Callie shrugged. "I don't watch a lot of films, I guess."

"Have you see The Shawshank Redemption?"

"No.."

"American Psycho? Donnie Darko? Anchorman? The Dark Knight?"

"No."

"Yeah, this needs to start being a regular thing because you need a serious movie education." Brandon said.

"You really love films." Callie laughed.

"I do." Brandon confirmed. "Now shut up and watch it, you're going to miss the beginning."

"Its not like I'm going to get whats going on anyway."

"Callie, ssh."

Callie rolled her eyes, but quietened, leaning into Brandon's comfortable embrace, trying to focus on the movie. She barely lasted twenty minutes however, before she got bored.

She wasn't sure if it was the film itself, or the fact Brandon was right next to her and the house was empty for once, but her ability to focus on the movie was practically non-existent.

Absentmindedly, Callie began to lightly trace patterns across Brandon's t-shirt clad abdomen, almost grinning in satisfaction when she felt Brandon try _(and fail) _to hold back a shiver.

Callie shifted her position slightly so she was able to press her lips to Brandon's neck, dropping barely there kisses along his jawline, and collarbone.

"You're missing the movie." Brandon said, his breathing uneven.

"Sorry." Callie said, moving away from his neck, smirking slightly. She liked the effect she had on him.

In an attempt to get comfortable, Callie swung her legs across Brandon's, wrapping an arm around his waist. As if on autopilot, Brandon reached out to wrap an arm around her legs, his attention still on the movie.

It didn't take long for Callie to get bored again, her gaze falling on Brandon instead. She watched him carefully, his whole attention on the unfolding scene on the TV, his breathing calm, and steady. He was gorgeous, Callie knew that much - his strong jawline, the soft dark hair her hands seemed to have a magnetic attachment to when they were alone, his strikingly blue eyes..

She did sometimes wonder why her. She'd be lying if she didn't admit that much. But there was something about her and Brandon's relationship that didn't allow for insecurity, something so right about the way they worked, the way they fit together that reassured Callie this wasn't such an awful idea.

"You're staring at me." Brandon said quietly.

"I know."

Brandon looked away from the TV, looking at her. "You okay?"

Callie nodded. "Yeah."

"Then watch the movie." Brandon said, kissing her lightly, Callie smiling against the soft touch of his lips.

"What if I have better things to do?" Callie murmured quietly, one hand gently stroking his cheek.

"And what better things would that be?"

"Not.. Sure.. Really.." Callie said, each word punctuated by a nip to his neck, Brandon struggling to maintain his composure.

"Mm.. Its a good movie t-though.." He tried to return his focus to the TV.

_Oh, fuck it_

Brandon pressed his lips to hers, feeling Callie smile against his lips as he finally responded. She caught his bottom lip between her teeth, grinning cheekily as Brandon let out a soft groan.

"Two can play at that game Cal." Brandon muttered, his attention turning to the sweet spot on her neck. He bit down gently, Callie's breathy moan the reaction he had been looking for. He kissed the spot he had bitten, gently sucking and licking at it until Callie got impatient, pulling him back to eye level.

"My lips were getting lonely."

Brandon laughed as he kissed her again, the kiss soft, but passionate, his vision clouded by all things Callie. "I love you." He said, breaking their kiss to look at her intently.

"I love you." Callie found herself saying.

"I love you." Brandon repeated, liking the way the words rolled off his tongue.

"I love you." Callie echoed, and mashed her lips to his again, one hand sneaking under the soft, thin material of his t-shirt.

Brandon kissed her back, his tongue brushing against her lips, the boy attempting to show her exactly how much he loved her through his actions. His right hand was resting against a sliver of exposed skin on Callie's lower back, the other wrapped around her thighs, pulling her even closer to him.

"You're beautiful."

Callie laughed. "You're random."

"How is that random?"

"It just is." Callie said, flicking him on the nose.

"You're weird." Brandon responded, smirking slightly as he poked his tongue out, and licked her nose.

"Brandon!" Callie laughed. "And I'm weird?"

"Oh, you're so weird." Brandon said. "You're crazy weird."

"So are you!"

"And that, is exactly why we work." Brandon said, planting another kiss on her lips.

"I thought we worked because `I'm an amazing kisser."

"Hey, I'm the amazing kisser in this relationship."

"Meh."

"Oh, you're asking for it now Cal." Brandon said.

Callie raised an eyebrow, as if to challenge him to do something. And, he did. Brandon's hand creeped up her sides, tickling her gently.

"N-no, Brandon-" Callie said, already laughing hysterically.

"No what Brandon?" Brandon grinned, easily flipping them so Callie was on her back, his fingers nimbly working their way up and down her sides as Callie squirmed.

"I h-hate you!" Callie said though her laughter.

"Nah, you don't."

"I do, I really d-do!" Callie said. "Oh, god Brandon stop I n-need to pee-" She started laughing even harder, Brandon's fingers under her armpits in her most ticklish spot.

"Whats are the magic words?"

"Pretty please?"

"Nope."

"Pretty pretty please?"

"Nope!"

"Brandon seriously, I am actually going to wet myself!"

Brandon's hands stilled. "OK - but, for future reference, the magic words are 'Brandon is the best.'"

Callie rolled her eyes, propping herself up on her elbows. "Are you?"

"Oh, yeah - most definitely." He grinned, leaning down to kiss her again. "I love you."

"I don't think I'll ever get used to hearing you say that." Callie admitted.

"I'll just keep saying it then." Brandon shrugged. "I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you-"

"You're an idiot."

"You love it though."

"Yeah." Callie said softly. "I do…"

"Whats wrong?"

"I just realised the movie is half over, and I have no idea whats going on."

Brandon looked at the still playing movie. "Forget the movie."

"But I thought it was an awesome movie?"

"It is, but this is more fun."

Callie couldn't help but shriek as Brandon dived on top of her, planting a sloppy kiss on her chin, completely missing her lips, laughing as he smiled brightly at her.

Yeah, Stef and Lena should get out of the house more often.


	9. nine

_in which brandon tries to surprise callie with blueberry pancakes (prompted by anon)_

_**NOTE: **__this is a companion piece to the biscuits and gravy drabble, but you don't really need to read both.. at all.. _

* * *

"Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.." Brandon muttered to himself. "Beat the egg and milk.. How do you beat an egg? Throw it against a wall?"

He rolled his eyes, cracking an egg into the small jug of milk he had poured out. If he had known how much effort was involved in making pancakes, he probably would have just brought Callie to iHOP..

"Stir in half the blueberries, and the melted butter.. What melted butter?" Brandon looked around the mess he had created in the kitchen. He had _definitely _not melted any butter.

_This recipe was so stupid.._

Brandon grabbed a pot from the cupboard, and dumped a chunk of butter in it, turning on the hob high, trying to melt it as quickly as possible. Callie would be up soon, and he kind of wanted to have it all ready to surprise her.

He dumped the butter in the mixture, and started to mix it again, reading the recipe on his iPhone screen with one sticky hand. "Heat a small knob of butter in a non stick pan.. How am I supposed to know the difference between a normal pan and a non stick pan?"

"Theres a red dot in the middle of the non stick ones."

Brandon practically as someone came to stand behind him, almost breathing down his neck, dropping the bowl of pancake mix in shock, the glass bowl shattering into a million pieces as it hit the floor, pancake mix flying everywhere - all over the floor, all over _Brandon_..

"Sorry." Callie winced. "I thought you heard me coming in."

"Clearly not." Brandon sighed. _There went that surprise._

"I'm sorry." Callie laughed at his pouting expression. "What were you doing anyway?"

"I was trying to make blueberry pancakes." Brandon admitted. "You said they were your favourite."

"You were making pancakes for me?"

"I was.. Now I'm wearing them, but.."

Callie grinned cheekily, running a finger along Brandon's cheek, which was streaked with pancake mix. Brandon watched, wide eyed, as Callie put the mixture coated finger in her mouth, swirling her tongue around it.

"Mm.. Not bad B." Callie said. "Could use some more sugar though."

"My cooking skills don't even stretch to pancakes.."

"Good thing you have me around then." Callie grinned. "Lets clean this mess up first, and then we can make another batch, okay?"

Brandon nodded, but he couldn't help but feel disappointed for not managing to make even one pancake for her.

"Oh, and Brandon?" Callie said, her lips grazing softly against his. "Thank you."

Brandon couldn't help but grin as Callie tossed him a sweeping brush to clean up the glass, the spectacular mess the last thing on his mind - he didn't really care about the mess, or the pancakes anymore.

He cared a hell of a lot more about the fact that Callie had just kissed him (_kissed him!)_

"Brandon?" Stef padded into the kitchen, wide eyed. "I was going to ask what the crash was, but I think its pretty self explanatory. How did you manage this?"

"Oh, no! Brandon!" Lena almost wailed. "My dad gave me that bowl, how were you so careless….."

Brandon tuned out most of his moms berating, nodding and apologising in all the right places.

_Worth it._


	10. ten

_in which callie finally understands what it's like to have a family_

* * *

"Where is everyone?" Callie asked as Brandon unlocked the front door of the Foster's home, the house seemingly empty. "I thought Stef invited us over for dinner?"

"She did - maybe they're out somewhere, and just running late?"

Callie shrugged. "I have no idea."

"Mom? Lena?" Brandon called. "Jude? Marianna? Jesus?"

There was no answer.

"We should check the back?" Callie suggested. "They might be in the garden or something, its such a nice day."

"Lena probably has music on or something." Brandon agreed, the two of them walking into the kitchen. Still, there was no one in the house.

"Stef would have texted if they were running late, wouldn't she?" Callie said, almost sounding concerned, pulling her phone out of her bag. "I'll ring her." She said as she and Brandon headed for the garden door, Brandon pushing back the curtain and opening the door.

"SURPRISE!"

Callie nearly dropped her phone in shock as the garden erupted into noise, Brandon looking just as shocked at they took in the scene in front of them.

The garden was full of their family and friends, Stef, Lena, Jesus and Marianna all grinning widely at them, a large banner hanging between two trees, with "_Congratulations on your engagement!" _written across it in large blue, sparkly (clearly Marianna and Jude's doing) letters.

"What - whats going on?" Callie found herself saying.

"We wanted to celebrate." Stef said, her and Lena approaching them with a smile. "You two getting engaged is big! And, you know us - we love a party."

"You didn't.. I mean, you didn't have to go to all this trouble." Callie said, looking between Stef and Lena.

"Callie, sweets, it was no trouble." Stef reassured her with a smile, giving the side of her head a kiss. "You're family!"

"You've been a part of our family since you were sixteen Callie - this, is just our way of showing you just how much we love you." Lena said. "How much we love having you in our lives, how excited we are that you and Brandon are getting married."

Callie looked between them, her eyes welling with tears.

"Are you okay my love?" Stef asked, concerned.

Callie nodded furiously. "I have a family." She said, her tone full of wonderment.

"You've had a family in us since you got here Callie." Lena said, wrapping an arm around her. "Family, they're the people who love you. It doesn't matter if you're related or not."

"Family is what you make it." Stef said. "We love you Callie, so much."

"We all do." Marianna said, butting into the conversation. "You're going to be my sister, officially!' She practically squealed. "I'm so excited."

"Yeah, we love you Cal." Jesus said, a hand on Jude's shoulder. "We wouldn't be the Fosters without you."

Callie wiped roughly at her tears, thankful for the comforting weight of Lena's arm around her shoulders, Brandon's hand on her waist. She had a family - she had the best family in the world. Stef was right, family was what you made it - and, they had made the best family in the world.

"I love you guys." Callie choked out.

"I think its time for a Foster sandwich." Jesus grinned, playing on his moms usual 'mama sandwich!"

"Oh, it is definitely time for a Foster sandwich."

Callie couldn't help but laugh through her tears as she was pulled into a boisterous group hug, hands and laughs and smiles everywhere, and for the first time in her life, Callie felt like she was exactly where she belonged - with Brandon, with the Fosters, with her _family._


	11. eleven

_in which callie foster decides they should foster_

* * *

"I think we should become foster parents." Callie said as she and Brandon sat down at the kitchen table, unwinding after what felt like it had been an incredibly long day.

"You do?"

Callie nodded. "I've wanted to be a foster parent for as long as I can remember, but we're more attractive as foster parents now than we were a few years ago. I mean, we have room in the house, we have the business - the means to support foster children.."

"I guess the kids are old enough to deal with having foster siblings in the house." Brandon said, thinking of their two children who were fast asleep upstairs.

"You know Hannah would love to have another kid around the house." Callie said, smiling softly. "Jack might take more convincing, but.."

"He'll come around, he always does." Brandon shrugged. "Jack doesn't like change until it happens, then he loves it."

"Exactly!"

"So you really want to do this Cal?"

Callie nodded. "Stef and Lena changed my life - and Jude's life - when they took us in all those years ago. I wouldn't be where I am, or who I am without them. I want to be that kind of foster parent. I know what the system is like, and I know there is plenty of foster parents who don't do it for the right reasons, or even give much of a shit about foster kids.. But I'd like to help kids like me and Jude, kids who don't have anyone. If we could help one person B, I'd feel like we were doing something to help."

"You really want to do this, don't you?" Brandon said, almost fascinated by the passion in Callie's voice as she spoke.

"Have I convinced you yet?"

"I didn't need convincing in the first place." Brandon replied. "I think us becoming foster parents is a great idea. I mean, I'm always going to worry about who we're taking in, and letting Hannah and Jack around, but there's more good kids than bad around, right?"

"I think every kid is good, if you just give them a shove in the right direction.." Callie said thoughtfully.

"Lets do this then Cal." Brandon said simply. "We'll have to ask Hannah, and Jack, but.. Lets do this."

Callie couldn't help but beam, throwing her arms around her husband. "I love you B."

"I love you too Cal."

_…_

Four months, and reams of paperwork later, Callie and Brandon were welcoming their first foster kid into their home, a quiet, tired looking eight year old girl called Mia who was transfixed by the bright smiles and freely given hugs in the Foster household.

Mia was the first in a line of foster kids who came through Callie and Brandon's home, some for a few weeks, others for a few months, or a year, and others, well, forever, because Callie had fallen in love with Mia from the moment she saw her, and couldn't bear the thought of loosing her, or putting her back into the system, and there was no way they were going to let go of the giggling toddler, Diego, their social worker had arrived with at three in the morning one night - honestly, if anyone had tried to take Diego away from them, they would have had a fight on their hands.

It was safe to say their home became a lot louder, a lot more colourful the moment they decided to Foster, several larger than life characters passing through their doors, foster kids who had grown up, and moved on turning up at the weekends for dinner to tell Callie, and Brandon all about what they were up to now.

Fostering had turned their small family of four (then six) into an unofficial family of about thirty, and Callie couldn't help but be proud of them. There was kids they couldn't help, of course, but the success stories that turned up for dinner with jobs, and degrees, and families of their own made up for it all in their own way.

It wasn't the quiet, suburban life Callie thought she'd end up with when she married Brandon - no, it was about a _million_ times better.


	12. twelve

_in which some sisterly bonding takes place (prompted by slowdancingstars & anon - I kind of used elements from both your prompts!)_

* * *

Callie pulled her jumper over her head, tossing into the laundry basket as she pulled her pyjamas on. It had been one seriously long day, and she was looking forward to completely chilling out.

"Hey, Cal?"

Callie looked up as Brandon poked his head around the door of her, and Marianna's room. "Whats up?"

"I just wanted to say thanks for all your help today." Brandon said. "The piece is really starting sound amazing."

"That is mainly down to you." Callie replied with a smile. "I don't think my suggestions are too major."

"Well, thanks anyway Cal." Brandon said. "Night."

"Night Brandon." Callie replied softly, watching as Brandon turned, and left for his own bedroom.

"So.. You and Brandon?"

Callie almost choked as Marianna spoke, the other girl looking up from where she was painting her nails with a knowing smirk. "There's nothing going on with me and Brandon!" She spluttered.

Marianna raised an eyebrow. "You're a horrible liar Callie. Anyway, its not like I'm going to tell on you guys - you can tell me."

Callie looked at Marianna, who was looking at her earnestly - and, well, Callie couldn't help but believe her. "There's nothing going on - but there's something there, I think."

"Oh, that much was obvious." Marianna said. "Seriously, Brandon was way too annoyed when you were going out with Wyatt for his feelings to be brotherly."

"You noticed that?"

"Uh, of course! Its not like he was trying to be subtle about it." Marianna said. "He's got _big _feelings for you, if you ask me - because usually, he's pretty good at hiding his emotions."

"He is?" Not around Callie.

"Which is why its all the more obvious he likes you, a lot." Marianna said. "Sooo, how do you feel about him?"

Callie paused before answering. "I like him. I know I shouldn't, but-"

"Oh, psh." Marianna interrupted. "Like it matters!"

"It kind of does Marianna, there's rules-"

"Moms wont send you away." Marianna said. "They like you too much."

"Jude and I aren't here forever you know."

"Thats what you think."

"Its what I know."

Marianna shook her head. "I think Moms like having you and Jude around too much. You're a part of our family now."

"We are?"

"You don't need to sound so surprised Callie." Marianna said. "We all like having you around."

"You do?" Callie raised an eyebrow.

"OK, maybe I wasn't so nice to you when you got here first, but.. I like having you around." Marianna said. "Its great having two moms, and I love Jesus and Brandon, but.. I like having a sister."

Callie couldn't help but smile. "I like having a sister too." She replied.

Marianna beamed. "Its fun! I have someone to talk to about boys now, because Moms just get _waaay _too protective."

"Who do you like then?" Callie said, not bothering to acknowledge the voice in her head that was screaming "_who do you like? what are you, twelve?"_

The voice in her head could shut up, thank you very much, because Callie was perfectly content talking to Marianna, the other girl excitedly flopping down beside her on Callie's bed, talking a mile a minute about some boy in her grade.

It had never crossed her mind what it would be like to have a sister, but if this was it, Callie could get used to having a sister to talk to, she really could.


End file.
